Chapter Eighteen

Robert got off the phone and relaxed. At least the last assignment he’d had was done. They found the people in charge and got the women they had back to their families.

He rubbed his forehead, and a headache started to throb. He knew it had nothing to do with the Society and everything to do with Grace. He wanted to know how she got the information. He hadn’t wanted her to know about her father’s threats. He didn’t want her to worry when he was taking care of it.

The last few days he’d been away from her, he hadn’t thought it would affect her, or he wouldn’t have participated. There were plenty of other men in the organization who could step in if needed. His only excuse was that he’d led the investigation, so he felt like he had to follow through.

Now, he knew he’d made a mistake because of the chasm between him and his wife, even after loving her the night before. He thought it would solidify their relationship and make it grew deeper. He already knew he loved her, but he was unsure how she felt.

Robert stood and went to find her, but hadn’t gotten to the door before his phone rang again.

“Hello?”

“Hey, man,” Rafe said. He was the man in charge of security around his house.

“What’s up?” Robert asked.

“We have our eyes on your wife.”

“What? Where?”

“She turned at the end of the driveway and is walking along the tree line so it’s harder to see her.”

What the fuck?

“What do you want me to do?” Rafe asked.

“Nothing, just keep your eyes on her.”

“You got it.”

Robert dropped the phone on his desk and went to her old room. The sight of everything hit him and almost made him double over in pain. All her clothing was gone, and he saw smears of blood everywhere. When he caught sight of the folded letters and one of them with her wedding ring on it, he wanted to howl.

He shoved the ring in his pocket and read over the letter. His anguish grew when he realized she was doing this to protect his daughter and give him the freedom she thought he wanted.

The paper was dropped to the floor before he walked out. He made his way out the back door and met Rafe by one of the cars.

“She’s carrying her suitcase, so she hasn’t gotten far,” Rafe said. “Do you want me to drive you to her? One of our men is behind her, but she doesn’t know it.”

Robert nodded. “Yes. The sooner I get to her, the better.”

They got into the car and drove out of the driveway. Rafe’s phone rang.

“What?” Rafe asked.

Robert heard the other person talking but not what they were saying. When Rafe glanced at him in concern, he knew it wasn’t going to be good.

Rafe hung up and pulled over.

“What?” Robert asked.

“She’s calling someone to come and pick her up,” Rafe told him.

“Fuck. It’s probably her father. Let’s go. We don’t have a lot of time now.”

Rafe drove a few more blocks when a man walked out of the line of trees. He rolled down the window, and the guy leaned in.

“She’s only a few yards away. She’s hiding behind a tree and waiting for whoever she called to come get her.”

Robert cursed again and got out. “Wait here. I’m going to have you drive us back. I have no idea when that bastard is going to get here, and I don’t want her out here.”

“You got it,” Rafe said and put the car in park.

Robert walked the way the other guy had pointed out. He could see her feet and hear her sniffles telling him exactly where she was.

He rounded the tree and crouched by her side. She screamed and tried to push away from him.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” he growled.

“Robert?”

“Yes, Sweetheart. It’s your husband coming for you, and I have to say you’re in so much trouble.”

She kept trying to get away from him. “No, you don’t understand. I’m doing this for you. My father is on the way. Just let me go.”

Robert lifted her and threw her over his shoulder. “That will never happen.”

He whistled, and one of the men came for the suitcase.

When he dumped her in the back seat and followed her, he pulled her tightly to his side. “Get us home, Rafe.”

“You got it,” Rafe said. “I already called and told the men they need to be ready.”

“Good, because that bastard will come to the house,” Robert said.

She buried her face against his chest, and he let her hide. There was plenty of time to deal with her later. Right now, they needed to get her to safety.

When they got home, Robert got out, reached for her arm, and pulled her out. He led her into the house, directly into his office, and shut the door.

“Your father is going to come here,” Robert said. “And you’re going to tell him you changed your mind and you want to stay with your husband.”

Grace looked down.

“Is it that you just don’t want to be here?” Robert asked.

Her head jerked up. “No. Not at all. It’s the right thing to do.”

“For who?” he asked.

“You guys!” she cried.

“Bullshit. Can’t you see what you mean to us? We’re all a family, and you’re going to tear us apart.”

Grace frantically shook her head. “No! I’m protecting you.”

Robert sighed. “It’s my job to protect you , Love.”

“Be honest. You didn’t want to marry me, right? You’re just doing it to keep my father from taking me.”

Robert shook his head. “Oh, I was planning on marrying you. I just moved it up.”

“I heard you,” she murmured.

“Heard me what?”

“You said that when the threat against us was taken care of, you didn’t know if you wanted to stay married to me.”

His brows snapped together as he thought about where she could have gotten that idea. “I’ve not thought for a moment that I would let you go because it’s not going to happen. You had to have misunderstood whatever you heard.”

She wrapped her arms around her waist. “I don’t know what to do. The only thing I can think of is protecting Hannah and letting you off the hook.”

“You do neither of those, Sweetheart.” Robert walked to her and grasped her shoulders. “I want … no, I need you here. I finally have the family I’ve always wanted, although a few more kids wouldn’t hurt,” he said and grinned.

He loved her look of surprise and happiness. Now, if he could just keep it like this, he’d be a happy man.